Pen Pressing

[MIAMIDON]

Well, my Jet Mini arrived today, along with a bunch of penmaking stuff. I have been looking through it, and all of the little baggies - just like Christmas! I hope to be able to put together my first pens in the not-too-distant future.

Anyway, after looking at online and printed instructions, I have a question about the final assembly. I have gathered that one can use a little special press, a standard manual arbor press, a regular bench vise or a drill press (and I suppose there are other ways). What are the pros & cons of the various devices/methods?

Thanks,

 

[Fred in NC]

Don, I use a press that looks just like a drill press without the arbor and motor.

A drill press works the same way. You can try that. I hope somebody who is using one can give you a few tips.

 

[daledut]

First, when starting out, use what you have. I started out using a Quick Grip clamp, it worked but some styles were pretty hard to press fully. I then made a wood plug for my drill press to use for pen assembly, but got tired of swapping things out to drill then press. Plus the drill press area was not always clean and the finish on the pens suffered occasionaly.

Then Harbor Freight had the 1/2 ton arbor press on sale for something like $15. I bought it and I am set now. To me this is the perfect solution. It produces more than enough pressure for all pens, yet is easy to control (more so than the drill press IMO). The 1/2 ton works for all styles if hard mounted to a board with a hard surface. I have mine mounted to a formica laminated board. Others have mounted theirs to a board with a piece of sheet metal on top.

That is my take on the subject[]

 

[Rifleman1776]

Don, whatever floats yer stick. I have been using the cabinet makers bench vice on my, uh...bench. Works fine. But thanks to RT and the Birthday Bash I now have a nice pen press which will soon be used.

Originally posted by MIAMIDON
<br />Well, my Jet Mini arrived today, along with a bunch of penmaking stuff. I have been looking through it, and all of the little baggies - just like Christmas! I hope to be able to put together my first pens in the not-too-distant future.

Anyway, after looking at online and printed instructions, I have a question about the final assembly. I have gathered that one can use a little special press, a standard manual arbor press, a regular bench vise or a drill press (and I suppose there are other ways). What are the pros & cons of the various devices/methods?

Thanks,

 

[KKingery]

I agree - use what you have. I use a pipe clamp. I cut a piece of black pipe @ 2feet long, and attached the pipe clamp.

 

[Gary Max]

I used a drill press for the first couple months--You just put a bolt in the chuck and use the head of the bolt to press the pen together.
I did brake down and bought a pen press that I found on sale a couple weeks ago.

 

[TheHeretic]

I use one of the el cheapo grip clamps. I had one break on me when I tried to do something I really shouldnt have but I was only out 5 bucks. I also had a friend of mine who works leather make a couple of pieces that would slide over the faces of the jaws to protect the pens. He however skipped town before delivering them to me. Instead I went to Hobby Lobby and got some scrap suede and use that now.


Dean
Columbus OH

 

[Fleabit]

I use the Ole vise method. The only draw back is trying to balance everything for the final press. I should break down and build a simple jig to hold everything, but that would take time away from turning pens

 

[Gregory Huey]

As you can see about anything that will squeeze togeather has been used. I don't use my drill press as a pen press it is made for drilling not pressing. I started with the one that PSI sells but found it to be less than satisfying. I now use one from Woodwrite works well but is a tad high priced.

 

[Carole in VA]

I just use my bench vise, but it gets a little dicey sometimes trying to hold everything in alignment and operate the vise at the same time.[] One of these days I will break down and get a press.

 

[woodscavenger]

Press, what are you talking about. After all those years of hard labor in the workshop don't you all just use your fingers....I do.......

 

[Fred in NC]

A little more about my setup. I have two of them. My first pen press was made from a DRILL STAND, a contraption which allows you to use a hand drill as a drill press. I cut out all the extra parts. It is still in use. I think I posted a pic before.
The second one is a punch press I got surplus from Grizzly. I use it inside the house when it gets too cold in the garage.

A pen press that works just like the horizontal one from the suppliers can be made from a PISTON type clamp. One such is item D in:

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=4419

To apply enough pressure you might have to extend the handle a bit. Not a problem after you take off the red rubber handle.
This clamp can be used horizontally or vertically.

 

[dougle40]

I use a 7" clamp-on wood vise with 1/4" plywood stuck to the jaws with doublesided tape .

 

[Guest]

I've used various clamps,broke a couple.
I used a Bessy 12"bar clamp the most,screw type.
Fred pointed to a Grizzly "Hand punch press" on close out which is like an arbor press.
I made a turret(still in design stages) and am happy with it)

 

[GregD]

I made my pen press out of scrap lumber that was laying around the shop. Follow this link for instructions: http://tinyurl.com/4jvs7

 

[Fred in NC]

Enco has the 1/2 ton arbor press on sale for $15 right now.
It is in the sales flyer.

www.use-enco.com

 

[MIAMIDON]

Originally posted by GregD
<br />I made my pen press out of scrap lumber that was laying around the shop. Follow this link for instructions: http://tinyurl.com/4jvs7

Ooh, I like that. I have plenty of scrap wood around the shop, and I have a jig for making those holes. Thanks much for the link.[]

 

[MIAMIDON]

THANKS ALL,...

for the many tips.

 

[GregD]

Glad I could help Don. The press was pretty easy to make. You'll notice there are no measurements in the instructions. I just went with a little trial and error till I found what worked for me. If you need some measurements let me know.

 

[MIAMIDON]

Originally posted by GregD
<br />Glad I could help Don. The press was pretty easy to make. You'll notice there are no measurements in the instructions. I just went with a little trial and error till I found what worked for me. If you need some measurements let me know.

Thanks for the offer. Perhaps the measurements of the moving parts would speed things up.

 

[GregD]

Don,
I don't know if you found it yet but I emailed the measurements to you

 

[ryannmphs]

I love the idea of making that pen press. Hmm, gonna hafta add another project to my list

Ryan

 

[Daniel]

My first half dozen pens or so where pressed in a vise. a vise not mounted to anything!!! setting in the middle of my livingroom floor. balancing the vise, holding all the parts in alignment, and trying to work the vise handle and getting it to clear the floor at the same time. i should have videos but I don't. I quickly decided the drill press could serve as a press as well. used that for a year or more. then finally slurged on a 1/2 ton arbor press from H.F. works great once you adapt it for it's to short capacity. I went the plywood covered with sheet metal because that is what I had on hand. I like it best of any method I have used. which include C-clamps, and other sqeazy things.

 

[jwoodwright]

What ever press you use... Make sure everything is in-line. An Off Center assembly will ruin the Pen...[8D]

 

[RockyHa]

Would soft wood work ok to make one of these?

 

[goldentouch]

I started out using the pen press from PSI but then after seen B B's video I went by Harbor Freight and bought the 1/2 ton arbor press. It weighs about 20 lbs and doesn't move around. It seems faster and easier than the pen press I just can't take it into the house and put it on the coffee table like the old one.

 

[jkirkb94]

I use a small bench top drill press. You can find them on sale at times for about $39 at Harbor Freight. With a drill press you can press and also use it to drill some blanks and also use it for barrel trimming. Multifunction for the price of just a regular pen press! That is why I bought it. [] Kirk[8D]

 

[Gary]

Here's a link to the arbor press I use.

http://www2.northerntool.com/product-1/35091.htm

<br />

 

[MIAMIDON]

Originally posted by Fred in NC
<br />Enco has the 1/2 ton arbor press on sale for $15 right now.
It is in the sales flyer.

www.use-enco.com

That unit has a 4½" throw. Is that long enough?